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Old 04-29-2010, 03:00 PM   #81
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Nothing. Absolutely nothing! In the following sense - max deduct 401 ala Ben Graham and Bogle - ballpark 60/40 index 500/fixed - and partied til I puked - just kidding - however I did live thirty years in New Orleans - need I say more.

Studing investing, reading books, legend in my own mind stock picking, rental RE,and 'slice and and dice' /AAII/going to chapter meetings in the end amounted to a picture of warm spit - getting ahead wise.

Back at the ranch - the part I wasn't looking at on full auto deduct (401k) became the the horse I rode in on - trumping everything else.

At age 49 getting layed off - I became a 'unemployed' really cheap SOB and as luck would have it - it was the 90's. A little severance pay, about a yrs temp work all told, sell and consume the rental proceeds - a small pension at 55, SS at 62 - badda bing, badda boom pretty soon an old poop at 66.

heh heh heh - hindsight being what it is - I still have trouble grasping how stone simple it is - I sometimes post 'don't read books' over Bogleheads which goes over like 'you know what in the punch bowl.' Read one paragraph of Bogle on why index funds work, take the leap of faith and auto invest, stay the course. Then ignore investing (unless it's your day job) and then go do life. When the time comes to retire - then retire.

I never listened - nor do I expect anyone else - we gotta redo it every generation.

Saints finally won the Superbowl and Jazz Fest this weekend.
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Old 04-29-2010, 04:11 PM   #82
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Since I've spent most of my life drinking and chasing women, it would have to be buying that lottery ticket.
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Old 04-29-2010, 04:16 PM   #83
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Sure you chased, but how many have you caught?

Or was it that you got caught?
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Old 04-29-2010, 04:20 PM   #84
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Sure you chased, but how many have you caught?

Or was it that you got caught?
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Old 04-29-2010, 05:30 PM   #85
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I'm not married, no kids of my own, but plenty of nieces and nephews. I too agree that there is no value (not even ER) that can be traded for the joy children.

I got a brother one year older than me. We were always really close, and am til this day. As kids we did everything together (many considered us twins). As we got older, we took different paths. He got married, 4 beautiful daughters, got divoriced, remarried. With all the child support payments he'll probably work his entire life or until he just can't work anymore. On the otherhand, I've (so far at least ) remained a bachelor, no kids, house paid off, had a good job, been able to ER.

Yet, in the end...who has had a better life? The joy of kicking back and treating everyday like Saturday or the joy of knowing four beautiful daughters of his own and a stepdaughter that think the world of their dad?

I had an older, wiser women tell me when I was 25 that there were the joys of being single and there were joys in being married. I think the same rule applies to having children. Think it's pretty much 6 of one and half dozen of another, not for everybody and a personal decision.
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Old 04-29-2010, 05:53 PM   #86
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(...) marry a Doctor. So I did. Picked the right girl, she needed a cook. (...) She owns 9 cameras and 7 computers. (did I say she is a techie?)
Sounds like you hit the lottery! Geek girls rule.
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Old 04-29-2010, 08:40 PM   #87
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My single best move to get where I am today was to take maximum advantage of my parents' offer to pay for my university tuition by choosing medical school. No BA for me!
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Old 05-01-2010, 07:13 PM   #88
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I listened when someone told me to "look at people who have what you want, watch how they do it and then do it yourself." I read that most of the wealthy people in America did it with real estate. That was 20 ys ago.
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Old 05-02-2010, 09:58 AM   #89
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Listened to the guy at my job that encouraged me to stick with it. I had just short of 5 years in and was making about $20,000 a year. He told me that if I stuck it out I could take my pension in 25 years, 20 if I bought 5 years. I listened. I bought my five years for a ridiculously low amount and worked 20 more years eventually becoming a project manager. I retire in July of this year. It wasn't always fun, but to be able to retire at 43 it was worth it.
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Old 05-02-2010, 10:10 AM   #90
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- Learned very early to save minimum 15% of every paycheck and to put it out of sight.
- Found fun in tracking expenses and setting up a monthly balance sheet on net value.
- Found DH (30 years ago) who is very compatible in terms of saving and spending - and, most important, is a wonderful person.
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Old 05-08-2010, 04:26 PM   #91
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! Geek girls rule.
Well........ Maybe if they can also back a trailer and drive a Bobcat.
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Old 05-11-2010, 02:03 PM   #92
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An adult needs only one meal a day and a tent to survive. Everything else is optional. Once you realize this, you can ER any day of the week.
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Old 05-11-2010, 02:15 PM   #93
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An adult needs only one meal a day and a tent to survive. Everything else is optional. Once you realize this, you can ER any day of the week.
That goes for me and you, but my girlfriend refuses to accept that it applies to her!
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Old 05-11-2010, 02:45 PM   #94
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An adult needs only one meal a day and a tent to survive. Everything else is optional. Once you realize this, you can ER any day of the week.
Eh heh...everything else is optional?...not in my world...
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Old 05-11-2010, 03:09 PM   #95
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An adult needs only one meal a day and a tent to survive. Everything else is optional. Once you realize this, you can ER any day of the week.
Some people need tents? Sissies

Serilously, welcome to the board, oilspill. Feel free to tell us more about yourself on our Hi, I am forum: Hi, I am... - Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community
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Old 05-11-2010, 05:25 PM   #96
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I picked the right spouse!
Right! As a side note, we have the following list hanging in our bathroom for our kids to read (and reread and reread). 21 Suggestions for Success by H Jackson Brown, Jr.. Here's the first item on the list.
"#1 Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery."

Also, I planned my career. First, I invested in an education better than most of my peers; second, I took strategic jobs to gain broad-based experience as well as specialized expertise; finally (and only then), I took strategic jobs to make the best money, with some necessary risks mixed in. All this planning only created an opportunity though....the biggest factor here was a strong dose of luck that eventually put me close enough to ER.
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Old 05-11-2010, 07:53 PM   #97
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Right! As a side note, we have the following list hanging in our bathroom for our kids to read (and reread and reread). 21 Suggestions for Success by H Jackson Brown, Jr.. Here's the first item on the list.
"#1 Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery."


I would argue that before you make this decision, you need to decide if you ever want to get married. Many people these days are happier remaining unmarried, so simply deciding not to marry will often be the one which makes those people the happiest.

I am not married, and at 47 I doubt very much I will ever marry. I enjoy the freedom of being unmarried the same way I enjoy the freedom of being ER.
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Old 05-12-2010, 06:26 AM   #98
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I would argue that before you make this decision, you need to decide if you ever want to get married. Many people these days are happier remaining unmarried, so simply deciding not to marry will often be the one which makes those people the happiest.

I am not married, and at 47 I doubt very much I will ever marry. I enjoy the freedom of being unmarried the same way I enjoy the freedom of being ER.
No argument from me on your point. A couple of observations though. I think marriage is best for most people (this generalization may get me from flak but I believe there is evidence for it). I also believe having kids is best for many people, but I'm hesitant to say most. When it comes to reaching ER though, where the right like-minded spouse is a great help, there is no doubt kids make it harder.
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Old 05-12-2010, 06:47 AM   #99
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Lots of very fine people do not have children. I have no idea if Marriage/and or children is "better", but unquestionably those who do raise children are in effect "paying back" the cost of their own upbringing by supporting the next generation.

I do get incredibly irritated when those who for whatever reason do not have children grouse about the public cost of supporting the next generation, as if children are a personal consumer product. Such grousers are classic "free riders" who were happy to take but are unwilling to give.
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Old 05-12-2010, 07:09 AM   #100
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No argument from me on your point. A couple of observations though. I think marriage is best for most people (this generalization may get me from flak but I believe there is evidence for it). I also believe having kids is best for many people, but I'm hesitant to say most. When it comes to reaching ER though, where the right like-minded spouse is a great help, there is no doubt kids make it harder.
I strongly disagree with the bolded text. Many people have kids who have no business having them. They have kids simply because they think they "should," as if it were simply expected of them by friends, family, or society at large. They end up making terrible parents, inflicting their bad parenting and badly raised offspring on the rest of society to deal with. On the contrary, how many childfree people regret not having kids? By definition, being childfree means not ever wanting to have kids. Childfree people such as myself have thought this through and know it is the best decision for us.
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